A/N: This chapter has a lot of dialogue, is fairly fluffy, and extra long. Call it the calm before the storm. I haven't done a full-cast scene like this in awhile, so I had fun just showing everyone's domestic side. And the ending is definitely rated capital M (ha ha). Hope you enjoy it. I know Beth did!

Chapter 2

BETH

"Thank God that's over," I said to Simone as we left the police station together. Just as I had been about to get off work, there'd been a suspected murder downtown, and of course the DA's office had been called in. A man had been shot in the head in the Richmond Building, and there had only been one other person in the room when it had happened, according to the man's secretary, who had called 911. That witness, as I later found out, had been a vampire, Patrick Massey. He claimed it had been suicide, and he'd just been an innocent bystander. He was very helpful and cooperative, which spoke well for him. Until preliminary tests could be done, Massey was held for questioning. He'd called his lawyer, who just so happened to be Simone Walker.

"No gun residue on his hands, no signs of blood splatters on his clothing," Simone mused as we walked toward our cars. "Had to be suicide. Poor Massey had picked the wrong time for a business meeting. He had no idea the guy had been having money troubles." She shook her head at the irony. "It would have been so much easier if I could have told the police Massey was a vampire, and it wasn't a vamp's style to use a gun. Breaking his neck, maybe. Draining him dry—definitely. A vampire working in the human world would never use a gun in the daylight, which would have immediately drawn attention to himself."

"When Ben saw you, he was immediately suspicious though. He remembers that you are Josef's girlfriend, so I'm sure he was thinking there was a vampire involved."

"He doesn't know I'm a vampire now, does he?"

"I don't think so, but then he still maintains the don't ask, don't tell policy with regard to the vampire community. A very wise act of self-preservation."

We grinned at each other, and stopped at Simone's shiny red Porsche. It was around midnight, and I was on my last legs. I was grateful tomorrow was Saturday, so I could sleep in. I barely stifled a yawn.

"Excuse me. I don't quite keep vampire hours."

"You heading home?" She asked me.

"No, I thought I'd crash at Mick's, since it's closer."

"Josef called me earlier and said he was hanging out at Mick's place tonight. You want to ride over with me? It would give us a chance to catch up a little more. Between work and my new sleep schedule, we haven't gotten to see each other much lately."

"Okay. Mick can take me by to pick up my car tomorrow, I guess. Good idea."

I climbed into the low-slung car and we took off into the night. The traffic downtown was minimal at this time of night, even for a Friday, and I snuggled into my coat, politely refraining from asking Simone to turn on the heater. Nights were cold in LA in December, but I knew my vampire friends welcomed the cooler weather.

"So, I have good news. Josef and I set a date."

"That is good news. I'm a little surprised though. You two have lived apart for the last couple of months. You must have worked through some things."

"Yeah. The separation has been a good thing. I've become confident I can take care of myself, and Josef has been able to see that. Oh, he still worries, but he's backed off admirably, only giving advice when I've asked for it."

"And you think that will hold once you're living in the same house?" Simone was trying to adapt to being a vampire, and, at the same time, work past her issues with her very controlling mother.

"That's the hope," she said with a little laugh.

"You know," I ventured gently, "it seems to me that you two have literally all the time in the world. If you're not ready—"

"I am. We are. I miss him, Beth. We still get together regularly, but even my human self was ready to settle down. And even though I can take care of myself, I would feel a lot more confident if he were there close by to help me with my little self-control issues."

"You're having self-control issues? You seem pretty normal to me. I don't even think of you as a vampire."

She sighed, glancing at me seriously. "You can't ever forget that about me, Beth. I don't mean to scare you, but I'm a little hungry right now and hearing the sound of your blood pumping is a little distracting."

My hand went unconsciously to my throat. "Maybe…maybe you should take me back to my car."

She laughed. "I am scaring you. Sorry. I'll be alright. I'm sure Mick will have some blood on hand for me. But that's the kind of thing I'm talking about. I'd feel much better if Josef were here to help me calm down. As a vampire, I tend to get angrier about things than I used to. It can be a little frightening when I get mad at a judge's decision in the courtroom, and I feel my eyes start to go silver. Then, I'll picture draining him right there on the bench, and I have to excuse myself before I act on it. That doesn't look too good for my clients."

"So, have you forgotten already what it is to be human?" I asked, trying not to sound sad about it.

"No, I still think of myself as human, it's just that my emotions, urges, and senses are now all amplified. Josef says that feeling of humanity will go away after about a hundred years or so, maybe longer if I continue to interact with humans a lot. But I don't want to forget, Beth. I'm only a vampire because I wanted to be with Josef forever, not because I hated being human."

She turned to me and smiled, trying to reassure me. "But enough about me. How are you and Mick doing?"

I smiled in return, feeling a little thrill just at the thought of him. "We're great. We're taking one day at a time, sort of putting off any major relationship decisions until I'm thirty. That'll be the same age Mick was when he was turned, so I guess we decide then where we are. Maybe he'll take some more of the Cure Coraline sent him, and we'll see if that will allow him—allow us—to have a baby. I don't know. That's two years away. Who knows, maybe I'll want him to turn me by then."

I had never spoken those words aloud, and I'd surprised myself when I realized I'd meant them.

"Really?" Simone was surprised too. "I thought you had completely ruled that out."

"No," I said softly. "I guess I haven't." I laughed. "Please don't mention that to Josef or Mick. I didn't know I really felt that it was a possibility until I said it just now. I guess seeing you take so well to it, makes it seem a little less scary."

She smiled knowingly. "I'll keep quiet. Forgive me for saying so, but I hope that you do come to that conclusion. For one thing, I can't imagine a world without you, and for another, I think that Mick would go back to being his gloomy self if he lost you. That would be too depressing to have to live with for the next thousand years."

I knew she was only half joking. Was it fair to him, I thought suddenly, to let him watch me get old and die? Of course, that's what all humans married into their old age must go through. The difference was, they went through it together. Mick would stay his beautiful self, and it would cause him great pain to see me wither and fade away. But I was long past being unselfish enough to let him go. It would kill both of us before our times.

"Boy, I didn't mean to put a damper on things," Simone said. "I forgot to tell you the wedding details."

"That's right. I'm sorry—I think I was the one who sidetracked you."

"Well, what would you say to a Christmas Eve wedding…in Lake Tahoe?"

"Wow! That sounds like fun. I haven't been to Tahoe since I was a child. I remember it was really beautiful there. And a Christmas wedding? How lovely!"

"Yes, we're keeping it small. Just you and Mick, Guillermo and Logan, and I spoke to Daryl and Carrie today. They weren't going to be able to come, because they usually have a big bash at their bar, but they decided to take off a year and go with us! If you ask me, I think Carrie had something to do with that. Josef and Mick will be thrilled."

"That will be a good group. Did you invite your parents?"

"I did. I haven't heard back from them yet. Somehow, I don't think Mother will be too supportive, so I'd rather she not be there anyway. I will miss my father walking me down the aisle."

"I'm sorry, Simone. That must really hurt."

"Yes. But I'm marrying the man I love, surrounded by friends I love. No one could ask for more…Well, maybe one more thing."

"What's that?"
By this time, we'd come to Mick's apartment building. She pulled into the parking garage and found a spot, then turned to me in the dim light.

"I need a maid of honor, Beth. I'd love it if you'd be there beside me."
I grinned, then laughed, impulsively hugging her in the cramped little car. She laughed along with me.

"I'd love to! I was hoping you'd ask! But now, I have so much to do. And you really haven't given me much time."

"Don't worry about a thing. Josef is taking care of everything. I don't even know where it will be in Tahoe exactly. He says it's a surprise. He's taken care of the flowers, music, everything. The only thing we have to do is pick out dresses."

"Great! Shopping is the best part."

"And the sky's the limit, Beth. He gave me his platinum card. You want to start looking tomorrow afternoon?"

"Sounds like fun. Let me see if Mick has plans, then I can tell you for sure."

We hugged again, laughed a little like excited teenagers discussing the prom, and made our way to the elevator and up to Mick's apartment.

Outside his door, I lifted my hand to knock.

"There's no need for that," Simone laughed softly. "They could smell and hear us the second we got off the elevator."

"You're kidding? I knew a vampire's senses were heightened, but I didn't realize how far they extended."

"Plus," she added, waving to the camera high above our heads, "he can see us on the monitor. And I can smell that Mick is right behind this door."

"That's just creepy," I whispered.

"I heard that," said Mick, obviously having heard our entire conversation from his side of the door. He opened the door with a welcoming grin.

As I fell into his arms, he spoke to Simone over my shoulder. "Are you giving away all our secrets to the humans now?"

She laughed. "And risk the wrath of the Council? Never."

Josef rose to greet his fiancé, kissing her passionately, uncaring of his audience. I reached up and touched my lips gently to Mick's.

"This is a pleasant surprise," he said. "I figured you would head straight home after such a long day."

"I'm so tired," I said, covering another yawn, "I was hoping you would put me up for the night, since I really don't feel like jumping on the freeway and driving all that way in the middle of the night."

He kissed my cheek, then pulled me by the hand to the couch. "You don't even have to ask, sweetheart."

Josef was sitting again in his favorite chair, only now with Simone, shoeless, snuggled in his lap.

"You girls both had a long day," said Josef. "Simone told me earlier you were involved in the same case. Small world."

Mick looked at me askance, and I briefly explained about the Massey case.

"Sort of funny how that happened," I concluded. "It's like when you and I first kept running into each other on the same investigations, Mick. It must be fate."

"Yeah, or he was trying to get into your pants," Josef guessed.

"I was not."

"I'm not trying to get into your pants, Beth," said Simone dryly.

"Well, that's comforting," Mick said with a smirk.

"Not that I would mind, myself," ventured Josef, "if I could watch, that is."

Simone and I grinned at each other, while Mick shot Josef a look of annoyance.

"Ladies, can I get you something to drink?" Mick asked, remembering his manners and changing the subject at the same time.

Simone looked a little sheepish. "You wouldn't happen to have some blood handy, would you? I'm a little hungry."

"Of course. Beth?"

"I'll come with you and raid your cabinets," I told him, tagging along with him into the kitchen. He kept a supply of human food around for just such occasions.

While he fixed Simone's dinner, I found a bag of chips and a Sprite from the fridge.

"Well, that's not healthy. Why don't you call that all-night pizza delivery." Mick suggested.

"Yeah, because that's so much better for me."

"At least it is more substantial than junk food. Pizza has protein and calcium, doesn't it?"

I laughed, coming up behind him at the counter and wrapping my arms around his waist. "Spoken like a true bachelor even though you don't eat human food," I said into his muscular back.

The microwave dinged and Simone's blood was heated. He brought it out to her and we retook our places.

"Thanks." Simone downed the glass in one gulp.

"More?" asked Mick humorously

"Simone, it's dangerous to let yourself get too hungry," said her fiancé, softly. We could all tell he was trying to show some restraint, while at the same time wanting to bark at her in frustration.

"I know; you're right. I've just been so busy, and constantly around humans. What do you do in a situation like that?"

"You keep some blood in a cooler in your car and excuse yourself," commented Josef.

She smiled into his eyes, kissing his lips. "I'll do better."

He deepened the kiss and Mick rolled his eyes.

"Why don't you two get a room. Preferably at someone else's place."

"Mick!" I exclaimed at his rudeness.

"We're being kicked out," Josef whispered loudly, not offended in the least. "Let's go to my place and call in a freshie or two. Will that glass you had hold you until we get home?"

She got up from his lap and smiled at Mick. "Thanks to your friend, here, I'll make it now. I didn't even have to resort to attacking Beth in the parking garage."

Simone winked at me as she slipped on her pumps.

"Yeah. Thanks for that." I grinned.

"We still on for dress shopping tomorrow?" Simone asked.

"Sure. Call me when you get up."

After hugs or handshakes all around, our friends left, and we were blessedly alone.

I ate my chips and yawned a few more times, then drank my soda thirstily.

"Sure you don't want some pizza?"

"No, thanks. We actually ordered Chinese at the police station. I was just a little peckish, that's all."

Mick nuzzled my neck. "Me too," he whispered, causing the hairs on the back of my neck to rise.

"Well, you'll just have to suck your snack through a straw, buddy, I'm too tired to donate to Mick's Blood Bank tonight."

He chuckled. "I figured. I was just kidding. I can see you're wiped out." But he began kissing my neck anyway, his hands exploring beneath my sweater, cupping my breasts before sliding his mouth over mine. As my pulse sped up, I suddenly wasn't feeling so tired after all. It had been a week since we'd made love, and both of us were getting heated up very quickly. A few minutes later, and he was carrying me up the stairs to the bed left over from his human days last year. Our clothes disappeared and we rolled around between the sheets, gasps and moans becoming more and more frequent as our passion escalated.

Between hot kisses, Mick whispered, "You ever played the alphabet game?"

"The what?"

His mouth left mine and he grinned against my stomach, making his way further south to the juncture of my thighs. He blew lightly there, and I shivered in reaction.

"I'll take that as a no."

"But what's-?" His cool tongue began tracing a figure around my slippery folds. "Is that an…A?" I breathed in wonder. His soft laughter had me trembling all over again. He dipped his tongue in again, and I could feel him slowly, carefully "writing" a distinct, lower case b.

"Oh, God!" And the alphabet continued, sometimes upper case, sometimes lower. He only made it to capital T before he brought me over the edge, and I practically screamed my release.

I had barely recovered when he sat up in the middle of the bed, lifting me like a doll and lowering me onto his hardness with a groan from both of us. We were sitting now, facing each other as he thrust inside of me, my hands on his shoulders, his at my waist, guiding my movements until the pace became fast and furious. Our eyes caught and held as the pleasure built and he began to shake and sweat, whispering encouragement and praise before his words became unintelligible and he climaxed inside me, our simultaneous cries echoing in the sparse room.

I fell against him, my heart pounding, my body shaking with the aftershocks.

"Damn," he exclaimed softly. I completely agreed with that sentiment.

I smiled and raised up to kiss his temple, my hands tangling in his damp curls as we came back to earth. He found my mouth again and our kisses became deep and lazy. We lay back on the bed then, boneless and equally exhausted.

"I have a whole new appreciation for learning your ABC's," I said, still a little breathless.

I could hear the smile in his voice as he lay beside me. "I was actually a little disappointed. I had something really exciting planned for X."

"What would you have done if you ran out of letters before I-?"

"Started spelling words and making you guess," he replied mischievously.

"Well, never spell a word with two lower-case i's, or I might just pass out." I shivered anew at the thought of his very literate tongue.

He rolled over so he could look at me, his hazel eyes glinting in the light spilling in from the hallway. "I've always been very partial to Hawaii," he teased. "I'll have to take you there next time." He waggled his eyebrows suggestively.

"Fine by me."

He drew me to him, spooning himself against me. I knew he would leave me for some much-needed blood at any time, but his restraint had sharpened, and he would be able to wait until I fell asleep.

"I love you," he said, as I felt myself drifting off.

"I love you too," I managed. My last thought before sleep claimed me was that I wouldn't be opposed to his trying cursive letters next time. Mick always had such good penmanship.

A/N: I strongly encourage you grown-ups to go ahead and try this at home, lol. You can thank me later .

Thanks for reading! I hope now you take a moment to review!